“we’ll talk more about that later.”

Jamie became even more embarrassed looking, if that was possible, and when they were gone, she hit Meko on the shoulder playfully.

“What?” Meko asked.

“Don’t ever do that again okay?” Jamie said.

“What?” Meko asked again.

“Talk about stuff like that in front of new people.” Jamie said.

“Why?” Meko said, “I’m proud of it, I’m gonna be a dad!”

“I know,” Jamie said, as she nuzzled him, “come on, let’s go.”

Chapter 4

Jenna Balto and Togo walked out to the sled team outside.

Balto cheered as they blew by, headed for the post office.

The three of them walked towards Main Street.

By the time that the three of them made it to the post office Mr. Harrme had already unhooked the dogs, and was offloading the mail.

Kodi was standing in the middle of the street talking to Max and Flash.

Balto ran ahead of the others, as Max and Flash walked off.

“Hey dad,” Kodi said.

“Good run Kodi,” Light said, as she walked up to him. “That shortcut you found worked really well, we’re early today.”

“Yeah,” Kodi said, “but we need to practice on that pass a little more, we lost a lot of time because we weren’t used to running on ice.”

Max cut him off.

“Well some of us.” She said.

“Anyway” Kodi said, “we’ll practice that section when we meet tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Light said.

Then she walked away.

“So, Dusty doing all right?” Balto said.

Kodi nodded.

“She wishes she could be here with me, but she’s got to stay with the kids for another month or so before they’ll be alright to stay by themselves for a while.”

“I could watch them,” Balto said.

“She enjoys them so much though, I hate to pull her away from them,” Kodi said.

Balto nodded.

“Just let me know and I’ll come sit with them.”

“Thanks dad,” Kodi said.

Jenna and Togo walked up then.

“Did you have a good run?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah,” Kodi said, “we actually got here early for once.”

“A whole lot early from what I here.” Togo said.

“And you are?” Kodi asked.

“Togo,” Togo answered.

Kodi smiled.

“Hello, I’m Kodi.”

“We’re introducing him to everyone, he’s new around here.” Jenna said.

“Well,” Kodi said, “it was nice to meet you, I’ve got to go see Dusty right now, she’s in the shed with the pups.”

He turned around.

“Hey Kodi,” Balto said, “could we come with you?”

“Sure,” Kodi said. “Dusty always likes to meet new people.”

It didn’t take long for the dogs to walk down to the sled barn, and Kodi talked about their trip the whole way there.

Balto was very proud of his son.

Kodi walked into the sled barn.

“Dusty?” He yelled.

“Over here,” a female voice said.

Kodi ran over to the window on the other side of the room.

Dusty was laying there, the three pups crawling all over her and one another, whining and barking.

“They’re getting bigger,” Jenna said, as the three of them walked up to her.

Dusty stood up, and one of the pups rolled off of its perch on her back, hit the floor and rolled into its brother, whereupon the two started wrestling.

She yawned.

“They like to keep me up at night though.”

Jenna laughed.

“Tell me about it.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do when I start running with the team again, I’ll have to find some way to get some sleep.”

She smiled and turned to Jenna.

“So how is your bunch doing?”

“Pretty good,” Jenna said, “not a problem.”

“Kodi, who is this?” Dusty asked, when she saw Togo.

“This is Togo, he’s new, and my mom and dad are showing him around.” Kodi answered.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Togo,” Dusty said. “I’m Dusty…”

She turned to the wrestling pups behind her.

“…and these are Alai, Orga, and Natali.”

“You have beautiful children,” Togo said.

Dusty smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Well,” Balto said, “we better get going, we’ve got lots of people to meet yet, and I’ve got to be back to the house by noon.”

“What?” Jenna asked.

“It’s another trip.” Balto said.

“Great,” Jenna said sarcastically.

She walked out of the shed.

“What’s wrong with her?” Kodi asked.

Balto sighed.

“She doesn’t really like the fact that I’m gone a lot now, but it’s just this new job… I can’t control it.”

“She’ll be alright,” Dusty said, “I know exactly how she feels.”

“I hope so,” Balto said, as he walked out the door after Jenna.

Togo followed.

The three dogs walked for a while, before they reached what used to be Balto’s boat.

Tim was standing outside, talking to his son.

“… so it was a good run, huh?” Tim said.

“Yeah,” Junior said, ”Kodi found a shortcut.”

“That’s great son.” Tim said.

He paused.

“Hey look who it is,” Tim said.

Junior turned around.

“Uncle Balto!” Junior said.

He ran over to Balto.

“So how are you liking the mail team kid?” Balto asked.

“I love it,” Junior said excitedly. “You know that they’re planning a race across the trail you used to rescue the sled team?”

Balto nodded.

“Yeah I know, the idita something or other.”

“Iditarod.” Junior said, “I want to run it.”

“But that’s probably dangerous,” Tycha said, as she walked down to the group of dogs.

“Yeah,” Junior said, “but it’d be so much fun.”

Tycha sighed.

Balto laughed.

“How’re you Tycha?” He asked.

“”Better if this kid would do something safe for a change, I think too much of you has rubbed off on him.”

“He just has a free spirit,” Jenna said.

“Hi Jenna,” Tycha said, “he’s gonna be a free spirit if he doesn’t watch it.”

She paused.

“Who is this?” She asked when she saw Togo.

‘Oh, this is Togo,” Balto said, “he’s new here, and Jenna and I are showing him around.”

“Oh hello,” Tycha said.

“This is Tim, Tycha, and their son Junior.” Balto said.

“His actual name is Balto, but we call him Junior to avoid the obvious confusion.” Tim said.

He turned to Junior.

“Son, if you want to run that race, go for it, what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.”

“Gee dad, thanks!” Junior said excitedly, then he ran up into the boat.

“Tim!?” Tycha said.

“What?” Tim asked.

Tycha sighed, and walked quickly into the boat.

“Junior?” she yelled.

Balto laughed.

“Busted.”

Tim smiled.

“Yeah looks like it, if you’ll excuse me.”

He began to back away.

It was nice to meet you Togo,” he said, then he turned and ran up the ramp to the boat.

“Tycha!” he yelled.

Balto laughed again.

“Come on,” Jenna said, “we’ll take you to meet Flash, Max and Blaize. Oh, and there’s Gemini and Drake too.”

“Uh, Jen,” Balto said, “you might have to do them without me.”

Jenna sighed.

“Oh right, your job.”

“Jen, I promise when these next two are done, I’ll slow down.”

Jenna sighed again.

“That’s what you said last month Balto.”

Then she walked away.

Togo laughed.

“You better be careful there Balto.”

Balto looked at Togo, and hurried after Jenna.

Chapter 5

Balto and Jenna saw Max and Flash as soon as they stepped through the gate.

They were standing under the big oak tree in Jenna’s front yard, talking.

They stopped and Max smiled as she saw them approaching.

“Hey Jenna,” Flash said.

“How’re you dad?””

“Feisty as ever,” Max said, “I had to pull him off of a husky that lives in White Mountain this morning.”

Jenna became alarmed.

“You were in a fight? Are you okay dad?”

Flash nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine, but I bet that punk will think twice about making a remark like that about my grandson again.”

Max smiled and stepped forward.

“I was afraid he was going to kill him.”

“Yeah,” Flash said, “well like I said; he’ll think twice next time.”

“So who’s your new friend?” Max asked.

“Oh,” Jenna said, stepping forward. “This is Tango, He’s new, and Balto and I are showing him around.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” Flash said.

“We’re Jenna’s parents.” Said Max.

“Well it’s nice to meet the family,” Tango said.

Balto found this statement a little odd, but he